Trial begins for Yorkville man accused of stabbing brother to death

NewsChannel 2’s Rachel Murphy was in Oneida County Court Monday and has more on this case against John Ferguson.

Posted: Mar 4, 2019 1:40 PM

Updated: Mar 5, 2019 1:37 PM

Posted By: WKTV

UTICA, N.Y. -- The trial began Monday for the Yorkville man accused of stabbing his brother, Daryl Ferguson, to death in July of last year.

NewsChannel 2’s Rachel Murphy was in Oneida County Court Monday and has more on this case against John Ferguson.

John W. Ferguson (photo courtesy NYSP)

Most of the day was spent selecting the 12 jurors who will serve on the trial and four alternates. But both the prosecution and the defense gave their opening statements to tell jurors what they will hear and see throughout this trial.

John Ferguson, 38, faces second-degree murder and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon charges related to the July 17 death of his 41-year-old brother Daryl Ferguson at their mother’s home in Yorkville.

The prosecution said that John and his brother had some unresolved issues over the years including that victim Daryl had an addiction problem with drugs and alcohol. The prosecution said and that John had broken up with his girlfriend the night of the murder and that he then went to their mother’s house where he stabbed his brother five times.

The prosecution sais John stabbed his brother so deeply, police saw organs sticking out of the victim’s body, and that their mother called 911.

The prosecution told jurors that they will hear that 911 call, and see the body camera footage from police talking to John when they arrived to the scene.

But the defense said jurors will hear that the victim threatened to kill the defendant more than once – that John had to defend himself in order to stay alive for his four children.

The defense says jurors will learn the bigger picture of the case, and why this happened.